February '22 - June '22

Ana Brichta

Communications Assistant

Vergroot

Ana after picking up mycelium - Ana picked up mycelium blocks at the mushroom farm in North-Brabant, and was very happy on this occasion! Andrea Valdivia

Hello curious beings! My name is Ana and I joined the Mediamatic team as the Communications Assistant from February to June 2022, as part of my last semester as a Communication Science bachelor student at the University of Amsterdam. My role consisted of promoting Mediamatic’s philosophy and projects in an exciting and playful way, reaching and engaging audiences through our communication channels. I was very excited to learn about sustainable and experimental art, and contribute to a practice of efficient, accessible (and fun!) communication.

 

Vergroot

Portraits: Ana smelling tomato scent - Smelling another being! Here, our intern Ana Brichta is smelling some strawberry scents during the workshop 'Smelling like another being'. 'Smelling like another being' is a workshop hosted by our lecturer Frank Bloem, which promotes awareness about the diversity of species in our ecosystem by smelling. This workshop consists of creating scents in a lab using different substances based on different types of species (namely microbes, plants, fungus, animals and minerals).  Photo taken in May 3rd, 2022.  Andrea Valdivia

During my time at Mediamatic, my position allowed me to explore various different tasks, participating in many different projects, from helping out in internal activities (Sin Eaters Dinner, gardening) to promoting workshops and events.

My main activity throughout this period was managing our (social) media channels. That is, formulating communication strategies and plans, writing captivating posts for Mediamatic and Mediamatic ETEN Instagram accounts, coordinating with the photography assistant for visual content, creating and selecting appealing images, and making sure events were documented – overall, maintaining Mediamatic’s organizational identity while making projects visible and intriguing on the channels.

Vergroot

Ana curiously staring at exhibition - Border Ecologies Our communication intern Ana is getting a closer look at our exhibition Border Ecologies! This installation collects testimonies of the Qudaih family, who have had to adapt and transform their farming practices due to the restrictions and violences they faced from the Israeli military. It presents photos and videos from the agricultural community of Khuza’a, as well as a tablecloth that narrates chronologically the stories of its farms and its people. Photo taken in March 2nd, 2022.  Andrea Valdivia

 

I conducted video interviews for two workshops: ‘Building with Mycelium’ with Arne Hendriks and ‘If Life Gives You Lemons, I Hope They Are Juicy’ with Natasha Papadopoulou, where I exercised my interviewing as well as video editing skills, crafting storylines that fit the project. I learned basic graphic design using Affinity Publisher (thanks to Linxia Auzannet) and made pretty Instagram stories and posts (and memes). I also was in charge of updating the Mediamatic website, making sure everything was up to date and ready to be viewed by the public!

Additionally, during a period where there was no Communications Manager to supervise my duties, I was given the opportunity and responsibility to oversee and manage Mediamatic’s communications, during which I learned the importance of planning and interpersonal communication. I coordinated with the Workshop, Program and Restaurant team, where I wrote newsletters, drafted and edited emails into digestible and playful formats, created engaging hiring announcements for Mediamatic ETEN, and updated event evaluation forms to improve feedback for Mediamatic’s project participants.

 In the five months that I spent here, I was able to put into practice my communication theory background alongside developing my creative instinct and aesthetic eye (with the support and encouragement of my communication managers, Julia van der Veen and Sophie Schulte). Elise Chalcraft immersed me in the world of plants during communal gardening, teaching me little fun facts each Tuesday, as well as guiding the way to strategizing workshop communication.

Vergroot

Portraits: Ana and mint - Aquaponics Our communication intern Ana is harvesting some mint from our aquaponics farm to serve in our restaurant dishes.  As part of our philosophy surrounding sustainable dining and celebrating nature around us, we try to use our homegrown plants and herbs as much as possible. Our aquaponics greenhouse boasts a variety of greens that are incorporated in our dishes and drinks in our Serres Séparées dinners. Photo taken April 12th, 2022.  Andrea Valdivia

On a lighter note, I danced a lot during the Gentle Discos, munched daily on Begonia from the greenhouse, sang sometimes a bit too loudly in the office, forced Mitchi (the cat) to cuddle with me, watered and weeded a lot of grow beds around the Biotoop, picked up mycelium in North Brabant with Joop the driver, and burned rice during staff lunches.

Thank you to everyone who made my experience here so lovely, especially to my fellow interns who were continuously supportive and encouraging all throughout (Anna Lina Litz, Andrea Valdivia, Fenella Mawdsley, Francesca Nicchiotti, Thibaut Counaut, Stefan van der Wal, Floortje van Lierop, Fredrik Link, Iliana Metaxa, Georgia Dalloro, Kristin Kvisle, Linxia Auzannet, Petro Prattis).

 

Vergroot

Ana as a Mouse - Open Costume Lab Trial Ana is desguised as a mouse during our trial Costume Lab. In the Open Costume Lab, you get to make a costume, offering a place for experimentation and design research on how to mimic various species in fabric and other materials. Andrea Valdivia